Ohio State TE immediately enters transfer portal after CFP loss to Miami

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Ohio State Buckeyes’ College Football Playoffrun ended Wednesday night, and the offseason churn began almost immediately. Less than an hour after the Buckeyes’ Cotton Bowl 14-24 loss to the Miami Hurricanes, tight end Jelani Thurman made it clear he would be moving on.

“Ohio State TE Jelani Thurman plans to enter the Transfer Portal, his agent tells On3 Sports. The 6’6 250 TE appeared in 21 games in his time with the Buckeyes. He’ll have 2 years of eligibility left,” On3’s Hayes Fawcett posted on X, formerly Twitter.

The timing stood out, even in the modern transfer portal era; the defending champions, Buckeyes, has been not short of phenomenal throughout the season. Ohio State had just wrapped up a 12-2 season that included an undefeated regular season, a long-awaited win over the Michigan Wolverines, and a Big Ten title game appearance.

However, consecutive losses, first to Indiana Hoosiers 13-10 in the conference championship and then to Miami in the CFP quarterfinal, abruptly closed the door on a national title push.

The Cotton Bowl itself was a tale of two halves. Miami dominated early, jumping out to a 14-0 halftime lead as Ohio State struggled mightily on offense, even finishing the first half with negative rushing yards.

A pick-six by Hurricanes defensive back Keionte Scott further tilted the momentum. The Buckeyes rallied after halftime, cutting the deficit to 17-14 behind an 82-yard touchdown drive and a fourth-down score, but the comeback ultimately fell short.

Thurman’s role during his three seasons in Columbus was limited but steady. A former four-star recruit, he appeared in 33 games overall, preserving a redshirt as a true freshman. In 2025, he played in 13 contests, finishing with seven receptions for 84 yards and a touchdown. Across his Ohio State career, he totaled 13 catches for 144 yards and two scores.

Despite his size and athletic profile at 6-foot-6, 250 pounds, Thurman never fully broke into the tight end rotation. Max Klare emerged as the primary receiving option, while Will Kacmarek handled most blocking duties. Younger options, including Bennett Christian and freshman Nate Roberts, often saw snaps ahead of Thurman as well.

While his departure isn’t entirely surprising, the immediacy underscores how quickly rosters can change once a season ends. With two years of eligibility remaining, Thurman will now look for a program where opportunity matches potential, and Ohio State will brace for more portal movement as the offseason unfolds.

Related: Dave Portnoy clowns Ohio State for embarrassing Big Ten with CFP loss to Miami

Related: Miami football sends savage parting shot to Ohio State

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